Daily Times

The panoramas of Lahore were a massive spectacle of fashion, music and street art as the D’Art Fest brought splashes of colour to the town. The outstanding showcase works of 25 renowned local and international artists from various creative fields strewn on huge containers all around was a sight to behold. Mesmerising canvases that highlighted street art and hip pop culture by instilling virtuosity, fashion and music left everyone absolutely breathless. Two astounding fashion showcases by designers Fahad Hussayn and Wardha Saleem who previewed their exclusive capsule collections “Nightmentia Art Couture” and “Aurat Raaj”, highlighted important issues in our society through the glorious use of splashes of color and design was a true crowd pleaser.

Fahad Hussayn and Wardha Saleem previewed their exclusive capsule collections, ‘Nightmentia Art Couture’ and ‘Aurat Raaj’

Fahad’s collection was based on the vision of street art as a medium of spreading awareness on concerns like anxiety and depression. Wardha’s show was a fabulous blend of women empowerment inculpated with exquisite calligraphy on spellbinding jackets, chic pants and trendy tops. A true highlight of the show was the Street Art Pop-up Museum, that was built in around the runway displaying life size murals of the artists: Ahmer Farooq, Anusha Khalid, Faizan, HaiderAli, Kamil Rahim, Neil Uchong (SHADE), Obaid Ur Rehman, Safwan Subzwari and Marium Kamal, Sanki King, Shehzar Abro and Syed Safdar Ali Shah.

The magnificent exclusive art and instillations by Tapu Javeriand Suleman Faisal, video works by Nida Ramzan was a major attraction at the D’ArtFest 2019 that captured everyone’s attention completely. Attended by the stars of Lahore, Ammara Hikmat, Ali Sethi, Ashna Khan, Haiya Bokhari, Hamza Tarar, HSY, Kamiar Rokni, Mehak Junaid Malik, Mehr Khan, Nina, Rashid Rana, Saamiya Raazee, Saima Zafar and SairaFaisal, the D’ArtFest brought everyone under one roof. Exhilarating performance by the renowned international stomp groups “The Stomp Drummers Crazy Orchestra” and “Parkour Group”, displayed diversity and was a true example of how a platform like this is surely meant to transcend borders by linking people in their proficiency of uncovering the worlds of arts, music, fashion and culture.

Published in Daily Times, January 12^th 2019.